1. Technical Field
Various embodiments generally relate to a semiconductor device, and, more particularly, to a voltage level shifter which amplifies an input signal or changes a voltage level.
2. Related Art
Electronic products for personal uses, such as a personal computer, a tablet PC, a laptop computer and a smart phone, may be configured by various electronic components. Electronic components may operate at different voltage levels, and may generate and use a higher level pumping voltage from a constant power supply voltage which is applied to an electronic product.
Recently, a solid state drive such as a data storage device capable of operating at a high speed has been developed. The solid state drive as a component for storing data includes a plurality of flash memories. A flash memory includes memory cells which use floating gates and uses a substantially high level of voltage as a program voltage due to its program operation characteristic that charges are accumulated in the floating gates. The flash memory may include circuits such as a voltage pumping circuit and a voltage level shifter to generate the program voltage.
In particular, since the voltage level shifter uses a pumping voltage such as a power supply voltage, a semiconductor device configuring the voltage level shifter is likely to break down. Specifically, the gate oxides of transistors which configure the voltage level shifter are likely to break down at a specific condition.